Matthew's portrayal of Jesus as the Son of David

Matthew's Christology: The Reason for Identifying Jesus Christ as the Son of David Table of Contents
Introduction 2
References to Jesus as the Son of David 3
Genealogy of Jesus 3
Joseph as Son of David 4
Healing of the Blind Men 4
The Wonder of the People 5
The Canaanite Woman 6
Another Healing 7
The Crowds 7
At the Temple 7
Whose Son is the Messiah? 8
Why the Son of David? 9
The Importance of Covenant 11
Conclusion 13
Bibliography 14

Introduction
As Matthew’s Gospel is written for a Jewish audience, it is important that Jesus be identified as the Son of David, since the title is one that directly links him to the House of David, the beloved King of Israel, and connects Christ additionally to the prophecies of the Messiah. Jesus is immediately identified as “Son of David” by Matthew in the Gospel’s first verse, whereupon the genealogy of Christ is given proving the claim the Gospel makes.[footnoteRef:2] Whereas Luke merely mentions the genealogy in passing, Matthew makes a point to declare it up front. But Luke’s Gospel was written for a Gentile audience[footnoteRef:3]; Matthew’s was Jewish and it was important that he show to his Jewish audience why Christ was the Messiah and the fulfillment of their hopes. Paffenroth notes that Christ’s healing and anointing are signs used to relate the Savior to King David, who was also anointed and viewed as a healer of Israel.[footnoteRef:4] 2 Sam 7, 12-16 relates the Old Testament prophecies regarding the progeny of David, and thus Matthew makes it a point to show his Jewish audience that Samuel’s prophecy is fulfilled in Christ. Indeed, Matthew gives Jesus the title of “Son of David” nine times in the Gospel, emphasizing His connection to David again and again.[footnoteRef:5] The first time is in the genealogical account that opens the Gospel. The second is in the same opening chapter when the Angel says to Joseph in a dream, “Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David, to take thee Mary thy wife…” (Matthew 1:20). Here the reference is applied to Joseph, foster father of Jesus—but the point here is to emphasize the lineage of Christ. Thus, there is a twofold purpose—a patriarchal one and a spiritual one. The thesis of my paper is that Matthew portrays Jesus chiefly in terms of the Son of David. [2: Lidjia Novakovic, Messiah, the Healer of the Sick: A Study of Jesus as the Son of David in the Gospel of Matthew. Vol. 170 (Mohr Siebeck, 2003), 11.] [3: Stephen G. Wilson, The gentiles and the gentile mission in luke-acts. Vol. 23 (Cambridge University Press, 2005), 30.] [4: Kim Paffenroth, "Jesus as anointed and healing Son of David in the Gospel of Matthew." Biblica (1999), 552.] [5: Kim Paffenroth, "Jesus as anointed and healing Son of David in the Gospel of Matthew." Biblica (1999), 552.] References to Jesus as the Son of David Genealogy of Jesus
“The book of the origin of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matthew 1:1). The first reference to Jesus as the Son of David comes in the first line of Matthew’s Gospel, and what follows is a complete genealogy, tracing the ancestry of Joseph to David. Matthew shows clearly and irrefutably that Joseph is of the House of David and that Jesus, conceived by Mary of the Holy Ghost is thus to be considered of the House of David, since Mary is the wife of Joseph. Matthew takes the trouble to point out the heritage of Joseph whereas none of the other Gospels do. For a Jewish audience, the heritage of the Messiah would have been very important because they knew the promise given to David—that from his House would come the hope of Israel.[footnoteRef:6] [6: Jack Dean Kingsbury, "The Title" Son of David" in Matthew's Gospel." Journal of Biblical Literature 95, no. 4 (1976): 591-602.]

Joseph as Son of David
“Do not be afraid, Joseph, son of David, to take thee Mary thy wife…” (Matthew 1:20).
Before leaving the first chapter of the Gospel, Matthew again uses the title of “Son of David,” but here the reference is to Joseph rather than to Jesus. The angel of God is announcing Joseph to be of the House of David, reinforcing the lineage.
Healing of the Blind Men
“As Jesus departed, two blind men followed him, crying out, ‘Show us mercy, Son of David’” (Matthew 9:27).
Mullins draws contrast between the promise and prophecy made by Samuel that the blind and lame would not be admitted to the House of David (2 Sam 5:4-10) and the healing works of Jesus, Son of David.[footnoteRef:7] He notes that in each of the occasions in which the people call Jesus the Son of David there is some connection to blindness or to the healing of blindness—and there is also a conflict going on between Jesus and the Pharisees.[footnoteRef:8] This is an important point to consider because it indicates the conflict at the heart of Matthew’s Gospel and, indeed, the conflict at the heart of the Jewish people who resisted the Christ, who stoned Stephen to death for preaching Christ and who engaged in the persecutions of the Christians under Saul. They who resist Christ are spiritually blind and lame. They are not after God’s own heart, the way David was (1 Sam 13:14). David was beloved of God because he had a heart full of love. In spite of his human faults and failings, David never failed to repent and to turn to God in his time of need. He was a true son of God because he never lost faith in the mercy and kindness of God, even in his darkest hours. The Psalms are full of David’s praise for God. For these reasons, David was beloved of God and blessed. [7: Terence Y. Mullins, "Jesus, the" Son of David"." Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS) 29, no. 2 (1991), 117.] [8: Terence Y. Mullins, "Jesus, the" Son of David"." Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS) 29, no. 2 (1991), 117.]

Yet along the centuries that passed, many Jews failed to hold onto that same faith, trust and love. They became puffed up with pride and blind to their own sinfulness the way the Pharisees were. But Christ shows in His healing of the blind what the love of God is really like. Christ represents the spirit of the law, while the Pharisees represent the letter of the law. The spirit gives life, while the letter kills (2 Cor 3:6). Christ has come to heal because He is the Son of God. He is also the Son of David, however, by way of Joseph. Matthew is thus connecting several threads together by giving Jesus the title of Son of David even as He is healing the blind and the lame in contrast with hard-heartedness of the Pharisees who see the Gentiles as unworthy.
The Wonder of the People
“And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?” (Matthew 12:23).
The people were amazed, first of all, because Jesus was performing a miracle—but, second of all, because He was the carpenter’s son, the son of Joseph and Mary, who were of the House of David. This double amazement signifies their sense of the religious principle that underlies God’s miracles. He is not healing simply because He has a concern for social justice; rather, His charity that emanates out from Him in all directions signifies His divinity. The people are in amazement that they should be witnessing right in front of their faces what was prophesied so long ago. Yet the Pharisees deny it, arguing that "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons" (Matthew 12:24). Again, one sees the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees and the slander they are willing to promote in order to resist the grace of God amongst themselves. They do not want a God who will give His mercy freely even among those who are deemed unworthy by the Pharisees.
The Canaanite Woman
“A Canaanite woman from those territories came out and shouted, “Show me mercy, Son of David. My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession” (Matthew 15:22).
This reference comes immediately after Jesus has been with the Pharisees, who have been offended by God’s words to them (Matthew 15:1-12). Jesus indicates that the Pharisees are the blind leading the blind and that none can save them if they are not willing to see with the inner sight that is faith and love.[footnoteRef:9] He then goes on to heal the daughter of the Canaanite woman, showing that God’s love is not denied to any who seek Him, asking for His help. Just as David—an outsider of the Abraham line—was brought into the line through his love for God and his anointing, Jesus is bringing in those who acknowledge His divinity and seek His help. Matthew is again uniting God’s divinity with His lineage to the House of David and merging the two concepts in the minds of his Jewish audience so that they might see Jesus as the Messiah. [9: Terence Y. Mullins, "Jesus, the" Son of David"." Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS) 29, no. 2 (1991), 118.]

Another Healing
“When two blind men sitting along the road heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Show us mercy, Lord, Son of David!’ Now the crowd scolded them and told them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, ‘Show us mercy, Lord, Son of David!’” (Matthew 20:30-31).
This instance occurs during Christ’s trip from Jericho to Jerusalem. Jesus restores the sight of the blind men and then cleanses the temple when He arrives in Jerusalem. The crowds are amazed and continue to sing His praises and refer to Him as the Son of David—a point that He will later contend.
The Crowds
“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’” (Matthew 21:9).
The miracles performed by Jesus have attracted a great following and they continue to heap praises and blessings upon Him. But as Jesus will show at the temple in Jerusalem, the praises fall short of revealing Who He really is. Yes, they announce His earthly lineage. But they do not announce His divine lineage.
At the Temple
“The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” (Matthew 21:14-16).
Jesus installs Himself at the temple in Jerusalem and essentially holds court, with the sick, the blind, the lame all coming to Him for healing. It is a sign of the new covenant even though it is not stated plainly: it is a foreshadowing of the role that Christ will play in the Church that He establishes and the sacramental mystery that His presence in the Church will play for those with faith who seek healing.
But, as Jesus is always alert to the false teachings of the Pharisees, who seek to downplay His divinity, He uses the opportunity to teach them the truth. The people have continued to refer to Him as the Son of David. Now he aims to respond and to discuss the matter and to assert a better, more appropriate title. This is made evident in the exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees in Matthew 22:41-46.
Whose Son is the Messiah?
“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ‘What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?’ ‘The son of David,’ they replied. He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?’ No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions” (Matthew 22:41-46).
Following this usage of the title Son of David, Matthew makes no more references to the title in the rest of the Gospel.[footnoteRef:10] Jesus Himself has indicated that it is an insufficient title, for it does not assert His divinity. After all, “If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?’”—that is the question. Christ indicates that while He may be called the Son of David, He is also the Son of God. The Pharisees do not mind the former title—it is the latter that they reject. They cannot stand the idea of Jesus Christ being God. They want power for themselves and do not want to submit to a Galilean. [10: Terence Y. Mullins, "Jesus, the" Son of David"." Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS) 29, no. 2 (1991), 119.]

Why the Son of David?
Why then is there so much emphasis given to this title by Matthew in the Gospel? What is the significance of Jesus being the Son of David if the ultimate point is that He be acknowledged as God? The point is that for the Jews, the starting point of faith is the Old Testament and the covenants made that go all the way back to the Adamic covenant and the promise of a Redeemer. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jews. He is the One Who has come to save them. Pointing out His lineage is the first step towards faith for them. The miracles are one thing—they stir the heart and the emotions, but the intellect is what is preventing them from seeing in truth. The Pharisees have poisoned their minds against Jesus and so Matthew needs to break down the prejudice and show that Jesus is the Son of David and, once having shown that, he can show that He is also the Son of God.
Referring to Jesus as the Son of David is also a way to bring to mind in the Jews all the promises associated with David. It brings to mind the kind of man David was and why God saw David as being after His own heart. The promise of glory is given to David and the promises of 2 Samuel 7, 12-16 are fulfilled in Christ—particularly the promise made in the first verse: “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom” (2 Sam 7:12). The kingdom that the Jews were thinking of was a worldly one—but Matthew shows that this is wrong: it is a spiritual kingdom that they need to be thinking of.
But whereas David purified the House of the Lord by casting out the lame and the blind (2 Sam 5:8), the Son of David purifies the lame and the blind and brings them into the House of God by inviting them to be children of God.[footnoteRef:11] Their invitation is Himself, and their acceptance of the invitation is their faith. Their faith in Christ is what gains them entry into the House of the Lord. Christ, the Son of David, heals where David attacked. It is a wild contrast—and one that challenges the elitism of the Pharisees, for if they are the Chosen Ones it most certainly chafed to see the Christ healing Gentiles and inviting them to be children of God.[footnoteRef:12] [11: Kim Paffenroth, "Jesus as anointed and healing Son of David in the Gospel of Matthew." Biblica (1999), 552.] [12: Terence Y. Mullins, "Jesus, the" Son of David"." Andrews University Seminary Studies (AUSS) 29, no. 2 (1991), 117.]

Thus, Matthew reiterates the fact again and again that Jesus is indeed the Son of David—of the House of David—the promise of glory given to David by the prophet. Yet, Christ is not what the Jews have come to expect. They have come to expect a worldly savior—one who would free them from their Roman authorities the way Moses liberated them from Egypt. They expect to be handed the world through political control. They do not anticipate a spiritual redeemer. And when they reject Him, Christ goes to the Gentiles for it is among them that He finds faith and acceptance of His grace and charity.
The Importance of Covenant
The covenant communicated to Nathan is an important one to consider because it shows that God has something great to give to the Jews. In the Abrahamic covenant and in the Mosaic covenant there are similar messages communicated. But to Nathan, God says, “I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed” (2 Sam 7:10). The Jews were thus looking for a home of their own and there in Jerusalem they were so close to having what they thought would be it—but they were still ruled over by the Romans. They were not their own masters. The Pharisees felt this keenly and it bothered them.
There is more revealed to Nathan, however. He tells him that son of David will rule and build the Temple. On the face of it, the Jews likely considered this to be Solomon. But in the light of the New Testament, the Christians—including Matthew—could see it as a foretelling of the coming of Christ, Who would rule the spiritual kingdom of God and build up the new Temple—His Church: “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name” (2 Sam 7:12-13). Christ does indeed fulfill this prophecy and that is the point Matthew is driving home every time He refers to Christ as Son of David. The House of David is foretold to be eternal and that the Messiah will come from this House (2 Sam 7:13-14). Matthew is drawing upon all these concepts when he refers to Jesus as Son of David. The point cannot be missed upon the Jews.
It is also important to note that David himself is a foreshadowing of Christ for very specific reasons. First of all, David was not of the same direct descent of the kings of the Jews. He was outside the bloodline. He was not a bloodline relative of Abraham. Thus, ordinarily, he would not have become the king. But, spiritually speaking, he had more right to lay claim to the kingship than any other because he was a man after God’s own heart. This prefigures Christ perfectly.
The point that Sheen makes is that Joseph’s relation to David is quite obscure and that a better interpretation of the connection between Jesus and David is in this spiritual sense.[footnoteRef:13] And just as David was an outsider to the line of kings descended from Abraham, Jesus was an outsider—a Galilean—of humble origins, just like David. Even Solomon could be said to be something of an outsider, since he was the sinful fruit of David’s adultery with Bathsheba, a wife of a Hittite.